Lamp socket



Feb. 7, 1933.

o. H'. VAN AMBURG I LAMP SOCKET Filed Dec. 4, .1928

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l Otto H. VanA y Patented Feb. 7 1933 UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE l OTTO H. VAN AMBURG, OF BBIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CQRPORATION OF NEW YORK LAMP SOCKET Application filed December 4, 1928. Serial No. 323,666.

T he present invention relates to sockets for supporting and electrically Connecting in circuit an incandescent lamp and more especially to lamp sockets adapted to be used out of doors and known as weather-proof sockets.

The object of myinvention is the provision of an improved weather-proof socket which shall be highly durable and reliablein service and which can be manufactured economically and without loss due to defective assembly of parts.

One enbodiment of the invention is shown 'in the accompanying drawing in whichFig.

1 is a side elevation of a weather-proof socket with a part broken away, Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof, and Fig. 3 is a cross section.

As shown in the drawing, the insulating outer shell 1 of the socket is moulded bell shapewith a main recess 2 opening at its lower end and two line wire entrance apertures 3 extending from the top of the main recess and opening through the upper end.

In the wall of the main recess 2 near its mouth is in annular groove 4 and above the groove thewall is provided with longitudinal ribs 5. The line wire entrance apertures have their upper portions 6 mad-e funnel shape to provide conical seats -7 sonewhat above their inner ends and above the seats 7 they are made cylindrical and have bushes or short sectio'ns of metal tubes 8 moulded or anchored therein which extend slightly above the upper end of the outer shell 1.

The lamp-engaging contacts consist, as usual, of a screw-threaded shell 9 With an insulating disk 10 secured at its upper end and the latter provided with a center contact 11. The insulated line wires 12 and 13 arerespectively connected to the screw-shell contact 9 and the center contact 11 as by Solder.

The lower end 14 of the screw-shell contact 9 is belled outwardly slightly so that upon the screw shell being forced into the uain recess 2, the end 14 will snap into the annular groove 4 and securely retain the shell against outward displacement, while 53 the longitudinal ribs 5 engage and grip' the outer surface of the screw shell to prevent relative rotary notion thereof in the outer I l insulating shell. i

In order securely and permanently to seal tle line wire apertures against the possible' 55 entrance of noisture and mechanically to fasten the wires to the socket a deformable washer 15 of elastic naterial, such as rubber, and washer 16 of relativelyrigid material, are threaded upon each wire and forced down upon the conical seat 7 in the entrance apertures 6 until the elastic washer 15 is deformed into intimate engagement With the line wire and the walls of the aperture and thereupon the upper edge of the metal tube 8 is spun or flanged over the upper corner of the rgid washer 16. 4 4

According to this nethod of construction and assembly of parts, the use of customary se'aling pitches'and cements is avoided and there is also avoided the possibility of defec-- tive union due to the failure of the sealing substances to function' as intended.

While I have shown and described herein the best enbodiment of the invention, known .to me I do not desire to be restricted thereto.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A lamp socket comprising an outer shell of molded insulation provided with a contact- 8 receiving recess at one end' and a line wire aperture through the other end, said aperture being provided with a conical seat and a metal bush molded in said shell above said 4 seat, a deformable washer and a non-deform-' able washer of insulation adapted to surround a line wire and be held in compression in said aperture by said metal bush. p l I 2. A weatherproof socket comprising a thinble-shaped outer shell of insulation havi'ng a contact-receiving recess therein With an annular groove provided adjacent the open end thereof, a metal screw shell contact having a continuous bell-shaped open end adapted to snap with a tight fit into said groove upon said contact being forced longitudinally into said recess and the closed end of said outer shell being provided with line wire apertures and packing glandsdisposed respectively about said apertures and adapted to make watertight joints about the lead wires.

3. A weatherproof socket comprising a, thimble-shaped outer Shell of molded insulation having inwardly contracted wire-receiving apertures through the closed end, metal bushes molded into said closed end about said apertures, deformable Washers of insulaton at the bottom of said bushes, non-deformable washers of insulaton held pressed against the deformable Washers by spun-over ends of said metal bushes, and a lamp engaging contact Shell mechanically secured in the recess of said outer Shell.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set l my hand this first day of December, 1928.

. OTTO H. VAN AMBURG. 

